Key Truth: The redemptive promise of God stands, despite the sin and failure of His people.

What desires are shaping your plans for the year ahead?  
What will you do to accomplish them?

The Promise of Isaac

Genesis 17:1-21

“Abraham’s response to God’s words simply is also a response to God Himself.  His obedience to and trust in God’s words are also, at one and the same time, an obedience to and trust in God Himself.”  

Timothy Ward, Words of Life: Scripture as the Living and Active Word of God

In what ways have you experienced God’s presence through His Word this year?
How have you been challenged by His Word this year?

“God liberally and profusely promises to Ishmael whatever is desirable with respect to this earthly life: and yet He accounts as nothing all the gifts He confers on him, in comparison with the covenant which was to be established in Isaac.  It therefore follows, that neither wealth, nor power, nor any other temporal gift, is promised to the sons of the Spirit, but an eternal blessing, which is possessed only by hope, in this world.  Therefore, however we may now abound in delights, and in all good things, our happiness is still transient, unless by faith we penetrate into the celestial kingdom of God, where a great and higher blessing is laid up for us.”  

John Calvin, Commentary on Genesis

In what ways have you been challenged to believe God’s promises this year?
How has He shown Himself faithful despite your changing moods?

Genesis 17:1-21 teaches us that:

we are called to respond to God’s promises with humble trust, believing that He will faithfully do all that He has promised in Christ.